Appliance for teaching music.



G. PANTILLON.

APPLIANCE FOR TEACHING MUSIC.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-23.1913.

1,227,489. Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

m: NONR/S PETERS 50.,PHOTE-LIYHO..WASHINCIUN, u c

G. PANTILLON.

APPLIANCE FOR TEACHING MUSIC.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 23, I913- 6200655 FAA/7741.0 Arron/v5) GEORGESPANTILLON, 0)? Li;

I-IAUX-DE-FONDS, Sl/VITZEBLAND.

APPLIANCE F93, TEACHING MUSIC.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented lllay 22, 1917.

Application filed September 23, 1913. Serial No. 791,326.

To all whom it may COW/16TH,

Be it known that l, Gnonons PANTILLON, a citizen of the Swiss Republic,and resident of La Cl1auX-dc-Fonds, Switzerland, have inventec a new anduseful Appliance for Teaching liusic, of which the following is a clear,exact, and complete specification.

The present teaching appliance is mainly intended for practising sightplaying and singing and is char :oterized by the ar ange ment whereinseveral adjust" plate-like. cylindrical or other suitably shaped movablepieces placed side by side are provided with a number of melodyfragments for one or more voices in any kind of musical notationcorrectly written and of the rvthmical duration, and are also adjustablerelatively to one another so that by the adjustment of one or more of thsaid adjusting pieces the grouping of the melody fragments can bechanged as desired as regards their sequence, to obtain various melodiccombinations constituting coherent melodies. The movable pieces uponwhich the melody fragments can either be applied directly, or by meansof detachable paper sheets, can be detachably and exchangeably arrangedin such a manner that they can be exchanged among themselves, wherebythe number of possible combinations of fragments can be still furthermultiplied. The melody fragments themselves can include one or moremeasures or even only a portion of a measure, but in all cases theadjusting pieces are compulsorily guided and carry each a series ofmelody fragments or groups of notes, and not simply single notes.

The accompanying drawing, 'by way of eX- ample, represents two methodsof carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view of the first, preferred form of the inventionspecially designed for collective teaching, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view, one covering wall being removed in order toallow the various adjusting members to be seen all in their lowerposition.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same form of the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a partial horizontal section of the same, on a larger scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the second form of the invention respectively infront elevation and transverse section.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a frame formed of twouprights 0;

connected together by two horizontal cross bars Z; and two sides 0, (Zof which the side 0 forming a covering wall is provided with anelongated horizontal aperture 0, while the other side (Z is providedwith a series of vertical slots f.

Behind the front wall 0 are arranged parallel bars g/ fixed to the rearwall (Z. The spaces between these bars 9 and the wall 0 thus serve,together with grooves in the uprights a, as guides for the lateral edgesof the movable adjusting members 71 7L2 71 in the form of boards each ofwhich bears eight superposed melody fragments, of one measure each, uponits face directed toward 0.

in the middle of each of the boards 71 72.8 is fixed the stem j of anoperating knob 70. This stem j passes through one of t .e slots f in thewall (Z and, outside the latter, the knob k is provided with a spring Zhaving a head m in the form of a spherical cap designed to enter one orother of a vertical row of eight holes a in the wall (Z.

By causing the boards 72 71 to slide vertically by means of the knobs 7cin order to bring the heads at of the corresponding springs Z intoengagement with other holes a in the wall (Z, I can vary the grouping ofthe melody fragments visible through the aperture 6 which will neverallow more than one melody to be seen of each of the boards 5 lbs. Theupper cross bar Z) is provided with a longitudinal slot (not indicatedin the drawing) through which the upper ends of the boards k 7&8 can begripped when the latter are in their upper position in order to allow ofinterchanging the various boards among themselves and, consequently,again varying, by interchanging the boards, the number of melodycombinations capable of being read through the aperture 6. In order thatthese changes may be possible it is of course requisite that theoperating knobs shall be removably fixed to the boards.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the movable membersk 72, which bear the melody fragments are formed of cylinders pivoted ona rod 9 carried by the two uprights 0. These cylinders are placed in afixed cylindrical jacket 7? provided with a longitudinal aper ture r andwith eight parallel arc-shaped slots 3 each of which is placed oppositethe middle of one of the cylinders h h and allows the passage of thestem 6 of an operating knob o carrying a spring L0 provided with a head:0 in the form of a spherical cap designed to enter one or other of arow of eight holes made therefor in the easing p upon the samecircumference line of the latter.

By causing the cylinders 70 h to turn upon the rod 9 by means of thestuds o in order to cause the heads of the corresponding springs w toengage in other holes in the casing 32, the melody combinationsinscribed upon the cylinders 70,, b which are visible through theaperture 7 can be varied.

In order to interchange the cylinders h 72, the operating knobs of thesaid cylinders are withdrawn and the rod (1 is disengaged at least fromone of the uprights 0.

It is obvious that in this form of the invention the apparatus can bearranged so that the aperture 1" may be sufficiently large to allowseveral melody fragments of each adjusting member to appear at once, or,again, the casing 20 can be dispensed with altogether.

Each adjusting member may also consist of a strip or band (of paper,fabric, metal, etc.) sliding or rolling over suitable guides.

What I claim is:

1. In an appliance for teaching music, a frame, parallel guided slidingboards, placed side by side in said frame, a longitudinal series ofmelody fragments or groups of notes on each of said boards, removablehandles on said boards for manipulating and simultaneously guiding themin the frame, the sliding boards being so arranged in said frame thatthey are not only adjustable relatively to one another, but alsointerchangeable among themselves after removal of said handles.

2. An appliance for teaching music comprising, on the one hand, a framehaving a front and a rear wall, the former provided with an elongatedhorizontal sight aperture, and, on the other hand, a number of adjustingboards slidably placed side by side in F said frame between its frontand rear walls and provided on their front side with melody fragments orgroups of notes, designed to be rendered visible through said sightaperture, while on their rear side they carry operating knobs guidedthrough vertical slots arranged in the rear frame wall, for allowing ofthe relative adjustment of said sliding boards, automatic spring locksbeing provided on the sliding boards for lock- 1 ing them in theirdifferent adjusted posi; tions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 9th day ofSeptember, 1913, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGES PANTILLON. WVitnesses:

PIERRE GUTKNEoI-rr, EUGENE ROBERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

